“URC: Munster versus Edinburgh, set for Friday at the Hive Stadium. The game starts at 7.35pm and will be broadcast on Premier Sports and TG4.
The anticipated match has implications for URC playoff rankings and it arrives with a mixed bag of news for Munster in relation to injuries, ahead of their journey to compete against Edinburgh. An occasion of significance, with the possibility that a win could propel Munster to lead the standings, at least until Glasgow and Leinster match up on Saturday.
Munster is buoyed by the return of Oli Jager, the tighthead who was out of play due to a knee injury, making his first reappearance since February. Additionally, Brian Gleeson makes a comeback after his time off since the Ireland U20s Six Nations triumph over France, adding strength to the forward reserves.
Conversely, Munster will be without Joey Carbery and Peter O’Mahony, both sidelined due to injuries. Considering the injury saga that has coloured Munster’s season, the team’s announcement included the mention of Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes, and substitute Tom Ahern, all of whom have participated in every URC and European match this season.
Injury concerns for Munster have eased in recent weeks in comparison to the season’s overall trend. Antoine Frisch, Mike Haley, and Coombes are among the key players returning to the starting line-up after being rested for the previous weekend’s victory against Connacht. Alex Nankivell shifts from outside centre, Jack O’Donoghue swaps from number eight to blindside flanker and Fineen Wycherley completes new faces in the squad.
A milestone for O’Donoghue as he makes his 200th appearance for his native province. The 30-year-old from Waterford becomes the youngest player, and only the 14th Munster player, to reach this mark, a testament to his enduring 10-year career and a testament to his perseverance despite having other backrow options.”
While Munster have secured their spot in the playoffs, the competition for top seedings and the associated home field advantage in the subsequent rounds remain fierce. Edinburgh, hovering around the fringes of the playoff contention, currently sit seventh, with Connacht close on their tail four points behind them.
Entering Friday’s match on the back of three successive victories over teams such as Scarlets, Cardiff and Zebre, the hosts have named an impressive lineup featuring numerous Scotland internationals. Notable names include Duhan van der Merwe on the wing and a formidable front row, including Pierre Schoeman and Ewan Ashman.
The key contest in the hinterland is likely to be between Edinburgh’s triumvirate of Jamie Richie, Hamish Watson and Bill Mata and Munster’s Kendellen, O’Donoghue and Coombes. This showdown could be a significant barometer of success at the breakdown.
Both teams rely heavily on their number eights, Mata and Coombes, to undertake the majority of physical work, offering an interesting subplot to the clash. Coombes has set the standard in the league this season for crossing the gain line, with Mata coming in third.
When these rivals face each other, attention inevitably turns to Edinburgh’s fly-half. As expected, Tipperary-born Ben Healy holds this position, alongside scrum-half Ben Vellacott. Healy, a former Munsterman, has been tasked with leading the way in kicks in play and kick metres, placing him at the top of the league in both categories. Such dominance could pose territory issues for Munster.
But could this jeopardise Munster’s seven-match United Rugby Championship winning streak? The consensus suggests it’s doubtful.
Edinburgh’s lineup: Goosen; Currie, Bennett, Lang, van der Merwe; Healy, Vellacott (co-capt); Schoeman, Ashman, Nel; Skinner, Gilchrist (co-capt); Ritchie, Watson, Mata, while the substitutes are Cherry, Vente, Sebastian, Sykes, Crosbie, Price, Scott, Dean.
This is the lineup for Munster: The main players are Haley, Nash, Frisch, Nankivell, and Daly, with Crowley and Casey as the back-ups. The forwards comprises of Loughman, Scannell, and Jager, together with Wycherley and team captain Beirne. The remainder of the team consists of O’Donoghue, Kendellen, and Coombes. On the replacement bench, we’ve got Clarke, Donnelly, Ryan, Snyman, Ahern, Murray, Scannell, and Gleeson.